NJN to Trump: If Annexation Is Wrong, Stop Enabling It

February 11, 2026 — While the agenda for today's White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly focused on Iran, New Jewish Narrative calls on President Trump to use this moment to deliver a clear message to the Israeli government about the consequences for any intransigence with respect to Gaza and with respect to Israel’s accelerating de facto annexation of the West Bank.

During the tenure of the current Israeli government — while global attention has been focused on the Gaza war — we have witnessed rapid settlement expansion, the construction of new roads that fragment what remains of potential Palestinian sovereignty, and increasingly violent efforts to dispossess Palestinians of their land. These actions have the same practical effect as formal annexation: making a contiguous, viable Palestinian state impossible.

President Trump has occasionally spoken out against Israeli actions in the West Bank. For example, yesterday, he told Axios that he is "against annexation" and that the US has "enough things to think about now. We don't need to be dealing with the West Bank." This comment echoed earlier statements by the president and his envoys.

Trump's comments, however, have not had any apparent impact on the Israeli government's annexation efforts. As recently as Sunday, the Israeli cabinet voted to approve a decision that provides for even more settlement expansion and intrudes into the Palestinian Authority's jurisdiction over the limited territory it controls.

NJN calls on President Trump to use the leverage at his disposal to match his rhetoric with action. Opposing annexation in name while enabling it in practice betrays American values and undermines the prospects for peace. It condemns Israelis and Palestinians to a future of endless bloodshed rather than the freedom, security, and self-determination they deserve.

Hadar Susskind, President and CEO of New Jewish Narrative, said:

“While the president may claim he opposes annexation, his inaction suggests otherwise. Why hasn’t he condemned settlement expansion, which is proceeding at an unprecedented pace? Why has he remained silent in the face of destructive cabinet decisions? Why does he continue to embrace Netanyahu while the prime minister openly defies him?

“If President Trump cares about his credibility, he can’t TACO this. He needs to follow through. The future of Israelis and Palestinians depends on it.”

Photo Credit: US Embassy Tel Aviv, CC-BY-2.0